Weeping forks

[boggy]

This thread went on and I missed it. Apologies and thanks for the ideas.  singhg5, thanks so much for those manual pages!  I can do this.  Maybe.  But I really don't have a choice.

I called the local Royal Enfield "dealer" here and they estimated $425 to do this, parts and labor!  I'd think about another shop but without Enfield experience, I'd rather not pay someone to do what I will have to do which is, figure it out.

I asked about tires too, since it'd be in the shop already.  $90 dollars PER TIRE.  $90 to change one tire!?!

Theoretically, it could be worth it to pay.  The time it will take me + the tools I'll need to buy might end up being a PITA, as Bare said, but I feel like those prices are a little ridiculous. Maybe I'm out of touch.

[Arizoni]

The $90 didn't include a new tire?  If it did, that might be a good price.  If it didn't, that's ridiculous. 
My local Honda dealers shop wanted $30 to replace my front tire with my new Dunlop if I brought in the wheel.
The local Yamaha/Suzuki dealers shop wanted $17 to do the same thing.

Guess who doesn't have skinned up knuckles and is $17 poorer but is happily riding around with a new front tire? 

[boggy]

Not including tires!  The only thing I can think of is that they keep $30, then stuff the other $60 inside the tire for cushioning?

Hmm.

[LarsBloodbeard]

Chaparral Motorsports (a local shop) charges $60 for the rear (iirc), due to the fact that it's a lot more involved than the front.  Of course, they probably don't know how easy the Bullet is in that regard, and the same amount of time will probably be spent just trying to figure out how to approach it.  But if you take it off and only bring in the tire, they charge a fraction of that.

[boggy]

That's a really good point.  I should take them off first.  I could take the wheels anywhere.  The forks, I don't want to have a non Enfield dealer do.  Maybe that's crazy.

I'm half inclined to do this fork work myself after seeing the manual singhg5 put up but I'm also half inclined to suck it up and have the shop do it.  I think I can pull it off but I need a few tools, a proper place to do it, and the time.  The Enfield lives 30 miles from me over Winter.  Not to mention whatever "hiccups" I may encounter, as I always tend to.  But if I had a garage at my house I'd happily tackle this and many other things over the Winter.

Something to think about for a few days while I order some new Dunlops.

[Arizoni]

As I learned with my first motorcycle (a used Honda 50 SuperSport), it is easy to wheel one of these things into your house (assuming you don't have a bunch of steps to go up).

The living room of my college apartment worked very well as a place for rebuilding the cylinder and head and by putting down a generous amount of newspaper before starting, I don't think I left hardly any grease or oil on the carpet.   

[barenekd]

I have a guy that does them for $15.00 a wheel. I have to R&R them.
But $90.00 a wheel is extortion. I do know several Japanese and Triumph shops that get about $100 for the pair if they have to R&R them. Especially as easy as RE wheels are to get off and on.
Bare

[baird4444]

yo boggy-
I did my seals a couple years ago, not to hard. If you want to PM me your email I can send you the file I did on it.
              - Mike

[mrunderhill1975a]

It is fairly easy job.  Make sure you have a hose clamp or tool 25114-4.  That tool is nothing more than a sleave to lever the seal out. If you do not use the tool or the hose clamp, a cracked fork leg will result.  See attached photo, don't make this mistake.

[boggy]

OUCH Mr. Underhill.  That's brutal. 

Mike sent me a whole bunch of great information. Lots of documents, instructions, and useful photos.  This is not as terrifying a job as I thought.  I definitely get the idea of the danger with the brittle fork legs thanks to the pictures.

Thinking about spending the money I'll save on some new springs for the forks and some Hagons for the back.  Kind of want some unpainted fork legs too but I think that's pu$hings it.

Thanks for the words of wisdom - And thanks very much Mike for all that info.

Boggy

[AgentX]

.  Kind of want some unpainted fork legs too but I think that's pu$hings it.

Boggy

You don't need to buy unpainted fork legs...just strip the paint!!

Good on you for taking the job on yourself and putting the money into stuff to make the bike better.

[boggy]

You don't need to buy unpainted fork legs...just strip the paint!!

Now you've got my attention.  Seems easy, so it probably isn't.  Or is it -  What's a good way to go about this?  I already know what step 1 is: Don't crack the legs.

[LarsBloodbeard]

Aircraft remover is your friend...

[AgentX]

Aircraft remover is your friend...

If you've got a 747 parked in an annoying place, anyhow... 

But yeah, if you buy "aircraft stripper"  (now that sounds fun!) or another automotive paint remover (generally nasty stuff) and follow the directions, your paint will be off quickly.  Check Autozone or Napa or wherever.

Then polish the raw aluminum to taste.

Probably best to remove the fork lowers, but I imagine it could be done in-situ with the wheel and fender removed and the area around protected and prepped for the work.  That's probably how I'd try it, since I'm lazy, less-than-perfectionist, and have  previously nicked seals when removing or replacing fork lowers on other machines.

[boggy]

I would probably do this when I change my fork seals anyways so that would work out well.  Does rust become a concern?